Helena Skeggs Settles Court Case On Second Day Of Trial
17 May 2012
The Central London County Court in the Regency buildings of Park Crescent opposite Regent's Park saw the "Marcos" daughter pass through its portals
The latest London court case involving Helena Skeggs aka Pedroche being sued to return money has been stopped after a deal was struck.
Originally slated as to last 2 days, but which looked as if it would go on longer, the hearing was halted when Helena Skeggs' legal team requested a private meeting after the court adjourned for lunch on Tuesday.
Skeggs had been sued for £70,000 by a London based Filipina nurse, Editha Francisco, who wanted return of loans and investments dating back to 2002. The actual sum claimed was approximately £40,000, but was increased because of interest and costs.
As the court hearing broke for lunch, Skeggs and her legal team immediately went into a conference room adjacent to Court 2 at the Central London County Court. Skeggs, her husband and their advisor Philip Englefield left after a few minutes at which point her barrister, Charlene Hawkins, asked Editha Francisco into the conference room for a private meeting along with Skeggs' solicitor.
After lunch, the court went into a private session, with the public being excluded.
Asked afterwards for a quote, Editha Francisco would only say that she was glad it was all over, but that she could not go into details of the settlement as that was now confidential.
The case began Monday with legal arguments and then with Miss Francisco entering the witness box. She was representing herself. She was then quizzed by Miss Hawkins for several hours over two days.
Despite being pressed several times on actual amounts of money that were paid to Skeggs, Francisco remained unruffled and calm. Presiding Judge Beech intervened a couple of times, reminding Miss Hawkins that the claimant was a lay person representing herself and therefore not legally qualified so should be given some latitude, and at one point halting cross-examination saying the specific quesion had been asked several ways and that the answer remained the same.
Miss Francisco was the only person to enter the witness box.
Just before the court broke for lunch on Tuesday, Miss Hawkins requested from Judge Beech permission to stand down the witnesses. The judge agreed; this was probably a coded hint to the judge that Skeggs' team were going to try to come to a deal with the claimant.
However, this is not the last time Helena Skeggs will be appearing at the London Central County Court. She is due to return on the 16th July where another claimant has a suit to be heard to the value of £60,000.
Previously judgement was given against her in 3 cases heard at Ilford County Court in east London. On those cases, she refused to pay until threatened with going to prison. She then rushed into the court managers office brandishing a check book saying "How much to make it go away".
She also stands accused by many Filipinos of having duped them into loaning her money, or "investing" with her.
Many complainants have stated how she represents herself as being the adopted or illegitimate daughter of former Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos.
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